TABLE IV.
Heavy metal concentrations (on dry weight basis) in vegetable species (n = 175) collected from the study area
| Vegetable species | Cu | Zn | Cr | Ni | Mn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mg kg−1 |
|||||
| Fruit vegetables (n = 79) | |||||
| M. charantia (n = 5) | 10.4 ± 2.82a) | 38.1 ± 20.0 | 3.36 ± 0.86 | 6.82 ± 1.98 | 102 ± 33.4 |
| L. acutangula (n = 8) | 12.2 ± 3.71 | 32.3 ± 17.9 | 2.04 ± 1.29 | 6.36 ± 2.50 | 87.2 ± 24.0 |
| S. lycopersicum (n = 10) | 19.0 ± 6.38 | 22.8 ± 6.64 | 2.72 ± 1.70 | 7.00 ± 2.54 | 144 ± 34.4 |
| A. malvaceae (n = 13) | 12.2 ± 2.42 | 34.7 ± 12.6 | 2.42 ± 0.96 | 5.25 ± 1.05 | 171 ± 62.8 |
| C. sativus (n = 8) | 11.9 ± 2.52 | 26.6 ± 7.44 | 26.6 ± 40.0 | 28.6 ± 37.4 | 110 ± 43.9 |
| S. melongena (n = 7) | 16.4 ± 4.55 | 21.6 ± 12.6 | 1.93 ± 0.93 | 5.27 ± 0.90 | 98.3 ± 21.8 |
| P. fistulosus (n = 8) | 10.1 ± 2.24 | 33.4 ± 15.3 | 3.82 ± 0.54 | 7.31 ± 1.28 | 89.1 ± 21.3 |
| B. oleracea (n = 7) | 2.94 ± 1.15 | 12.5 ± 8.91 | 1.72 ± 0.97 | 2.96 ± 1.65 | 80.9 ± 30.8 |
| B. hispada (n = 7) | 11.54 ± 1.81 | 26.6 ± 3.73 | 3.30 ± 1.23 | 7.69 ± 2.06 | 114 ± 49.8 |
| P. sativum (n = 6) | 5.42 ± 1.68 | 9.07 ± 3.56 | 0.65 ± 0.26 | 1.01 ± 0.59 | 33.7 ± 22.2 |
| Leaf vegetables (n = 53) | |||||
| M. arvensis (n = 5) | 12.5 ± 2.07 | 20.4 ± 4.58 | 1.74 ± 1.18 | 4.96 ± 2.74 | 125 ± 27.9 |
| L. sativa (n = 4) | 9.23 ± 2.68 | 15.8 ± 10.9 | 1.68 ± 1.06 | 3.99 ± 1.27 | 86.1 ± 34.4 |
| B. vulgaris (n = 17) | 9.15 ± 2.47 | 35.7 ± 27.1 | 1.74 ± 0.99 | 4.29 ± 2.56 | 141 ± 69.6 |
| B. oleracea (n = 5) | 3.50 ± 1.79 | 11.5 ± 7.3 | 1.55 ± 1.25 | 2.84 ± 1.35 | 75.1 ± 35.1 |
| C. sativum (n = 10) | 10.8 ± 5.02 | 24.9 ± 11.2 | 2.13 ± 1.43 | 3.94 ± 2.11 | 73.2 ± 33.0 |
| A. chinense (n = 7) | 18.2 ± 6.87 | 44.6 ± 4.98 | 3.52 ± 1.09 | 5.18 ± 2.21 | 107 ± 45.1 |
| P. oleracea (n = 5) | 18.7 ± 3.31 | 34.5 ± 26.1 | 2.81 ± 0.36 | 7.30 ± 2.10 | 74.4 ± 11.9 |
| Root vegetables (n = 43) | |||||
| A. cepa (n = 5) | 5.00 ± 0.95 | 14.2 ± 7.90 | 1.58 ± 1.07 | 4.43 ± 1.95 | 54.5 ± 33.7 |
| A. sativum (n = 12) | 5.48 ± 2.60 | 11.5 ± 5.91 | 1.05 ± 1.18 | 4.10 ± 7.78 | 35.8 ± 24.4 |
| R. sativus (n = 8) | 6.14 ± 5.74 | 20.9 ± 11.0 | 1.48 ± 0.70 | 3.00 ± 1.17 | 83.8 ± 49.9 |
| B. rapa (n = 7) | 4.19 ± 2.25 | 20.1 ± 23.1 | 2.23 ± 1.22 | 3.27 ± 1.62 | 81.3 ± 35.4 |
| D. carota (n = 4) | 4.63 ± 0.59 | 9.5 ± 3.27 | 1.23 ± 0.49 | 1.83 ± 1.08 | 34 ± 11.2 |
| C. esculanta (n = 3) | 8.86 ± 1.11 | 15.8 ± 0.51 | 2.20 ± 0.35 | 5.48 ± 1.38 | 168 ± 47.4 |
| S. tuberosum (n = 4) | 15.1 ± 4.54 | 23.7 ± 7.89 | 2.01 ± 1.01 | 4.15 ± 0.81 | 126 ± 23.9 |
| MALb) (SEPAC, 2005) | 20 | 100 | 0.5 | 10 | NAc) |
a)
Means ± standard
b)
Maximum allowable limit.
c)
Not allotted.